To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate benefits of an NMDA enhancer in patients with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia. Sodium benzoate at both 1g and 2g/day was more effective than placebo in improving negative symptoms, and this medication had a favorable safety profile. Sodium benzoate 2g/d also improved total psychopathology and quality of life scores.
The authors noted the relatively small sample size and short trial duration as potential study limitations and call for additional studies of both doses of sodium benzoate in longer trials. They concluded that DAAO inhibitors may represent a novel treatment approach for patients with clozapine-resistant schizophrenia.
Food Preservative for Schizophrenia?
